Three Plus One
by theboyandgirlwhowaited
Summary: Amber Millington has always had assurance in herself, especially when it comes to relationships. But the thing is, she told Alfie THE words. The three really important words. And now there's an entire ocean between them, and she's not sure if he feels those same three words back. Which is bad. Very, very bad. Set after House of Trickery & House of Unity. Oneshot, AMFIE


**Three Plus One**

**Summary: **Amber Millington has always had assurance in herself, especially when it comes to relationships. But the thing is, she told Alfie THE words. The three really important words. And now there's an entire ocean between them, and she's not sure if he feels those same three words back. Which is bad. Very, very bad. Set after House of Trickery & House of Unity.

**A/N: **This is kind of way overdue, since the episode where Amber left aired three weeks ago, but this idea came to me and Amfie is my favorite couple on the whole show (if I'm not counting Jara) and there really aren't that many Amfie fics out there, so I figured, why not? Please review, this is my first time writing for them and I would love feedback.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own House of Anubis.

* * *

Alone.

It's not so much a strange feeling, unless you're used to being with at least one other person constantly throughout the day.

And Lord knew that Amber Millington had been very busy the past few days.

For the past seventy-two hours, she'd been stressed out to the max, and was beginning to worry that her pores would suffer for it. The past two days had been all go and no stop. In fact, the only time she'd rested at all had been during her two-hour flight on the plane to New York City (flying first class, of course.)

Then, there had been the matter of catching a cab and going to the front office of fashion school the moment she arrived. Fortunately for her, there wasn't much that she needed to sort out with the principal - her father had transferred her and gotten her a dorm before she'd even left England. Unfortunately, despite her protests and the fact that she'd spent three months at the school over the summer, she was given an agonizingly long tour of every inch of it. Not to mention that it had taken at least two or three hours to pick out all of her courses.

But, finally, it was over. She was settled down in her room, and had finished unpacking all her things half an hour ago. But even with the tons of stuff she'd packed carefully arranged around the room, it still looked rather empty. Then again, she supposed that was because she wasn't used to rooming by herself, after constantly having a roommate during the many years she'd spent at Anubis House.

In fact, she'd been a bit astonished when Mrs. Williams, one of the assistant principals, told her she wouldn't have a roommate. She'd had one over the summer, and had been expecting another girl her age (hopefully one of the friends she'd made over the holiday) to be there already. But her father had requested for her to have a single dorm.

Amber exhaled, rolling her eyes. She knew that what had happened during her last days at Anubis had brought out the protective streak in her father, but she hadn't thought it would be _this _bad.

But, despite it all, she was finally at fashion school, and had finally been given time to be alone and relax. Which was, after all, what she'd wanted.

But she'd only been alone for a few minutes and was already starting to dislike it.

Because being alone meant she had time to think.

And all she could think about was Anubis House and everything she'd left behind.

Sure, she'd dreamt of going to fashion school since she was a little girl. It'd been her lifelong goal - to go to fashion school and become a world famous clothing designer, for everyone to know who she was and for everyone in the world to wear her clothes. And now she was there, and she was happy. She was finally getting to do what she loved, but...

She missed Anubis.

She missed the mysteries and the tunnels and the creepy attic and cellar and Trudy and Mr. Sweet and making the Sibuna hand-sign and laughing and crying and yelling and running and _everything. _She even missed Victor and his creepy stuffed bird, Corbierre.

And most of all, she missed her fellow Anubis House students.

She missed Eddie - the annoying bad boy American who'd come to Anubis with a big ego but not a lot of assurance in himself and what he was doing with his life. And now he was the Osirian. He was leading Sibuna. He'd grown so much in less than two terms, and Amber almost regretted not ever telling him. She only hoped that maybe someday, someone else would.

She missed KT, and even though she hadn't even known her for that long, she knew that, if she had stayed, they would've turned out to be great friends. She had such sass and feistiness - she would never forget her throwing the cereal in Patricia's face - that she couldn't help but admire.

She missed Fabian. It was hard to believe that Amber had never even given the boy a second thought before Sibuna and the mystery. She'd just labeled him as a geek that spent far more time in the library than a normal person. Three years ago, she would've never thought that he'd turn out to be one of her very best friends.

She missed Patricia - another person that she never would have expected to be friends with. Sure, she was mean and rude and sometimes obnoxious, but she had a pure heart. Sometimes she stepped out of line, but she was always fiercely loyal and determined to do the right thing. She tried to hide it, but she really was a true friend.

She missed Mara and her kindness and mind-blowing intelligence. Amber would never admit it, because she hated admitting to being in the wrong, but sometimes she thought back on how she acted towards her during the whole Mick ordeal and felt a tremendous amount of regret. She'd lost one of her closest friends, and it'd all been over a boy. She'd been glad that the two of them had gotten to room together that term, and wished she'd gotten to spend more time patching things up with her, and maybe even becoming best friends again.

She missed Joy, too. Even though she was still a little bitter with her at breaking up Fabina and trying to make a move on Fabian this term even though she'd previously stated that she thought of him as just a friend, she supposed Joy hadn't turned out to be _so _bad. After all, she had saved her and the rest of Sibuna's lives.

Oddly enough, she missed Willow - she had been psycho and crazy, but she'd adored Amber to pieces, and really, that was all that mattered. _Oh, poor Willow,_ Amber thought to herself, a slight smile on her face as she shook her head. _What on earth is she going to do now that I'm gone?_

Amber even missed Jerome. Sure, he was a first class jerk and had never been nice to her, but there was some goodness deep down inside of him - even if it was mostly reserved for Mara. And anyways, he made Mara happy, and if he made Mara happy, then she supposed he was alright.

And then, there was Alfie...

Amber felt a lump rise in her throat and exhaled again, closing her eyes.

She missed Alfie most of all.

If there was anyone she thought that she'd never _ever_ be close with in Anubis House, it was Alfie Lewis. She would exchange a few words with Fabian and Patricia in the hallways every now and then, but she avoided Alfie Lewis like the plague. Sure, he could be funny sometimes, but mostly he was just another annoying dork that was far too obsessed with her and would never even have a chance.

It wasn't until they started spending time together because of Sibuna that she realized he was more than that, and that he wasn't all that bad after all. Sure, he was still annoying, but almost in a funny way, and he was a good friend. Sometimes he would tell a joke that would cause the two of them sitting there and laughing like idiots for hours. And it wouldn't even be until later that Amber would realize that she wouldn't have found that joke funny with anyone else.

God knew she tried her hardest not to fall for him. The two of them, together? It was impossible. She was beautiful and popular and he was...well, he was Alfie. It just wouldn't work. They'd dated (if you could call it that) for a little while at the beginning of last term, but Amber...well, Amber had screwed up, big time. She'd really only dated him because she'd promised that she would when he was "dying", anyways. She took full advantage of their relationship, Alfie got sick of it, they split up, and they moved on with their lives.

Well, sort of.

It was hard to pinpoint an exact time when it all started, but if she had to choose, it was probably when Alfie was inside the tunnel and it had started closing in on him. Amber didn't think she'd ever experienced such a great whirlwind of emotions as she had at that moment. All she knew was that Alfie was stuck, and he could die, and if he did it would be all her fault and she couldn't let that happen. So without even thinking about it, she went in after him. And that day, somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized that she loved him. Maybe she didn't _love him _love him, but loved him enough to risk her life for him and she knew she couldn't lose him.

And after that, slowly, everything became different. Instead of slightly dreading he would do something disgusting when they were spending time together, she yearned for those moments and didn't mind as much when he was a tad bit gross. Instead of waving him off like he didn't matter, she really and truly wanted to see what he had to say. When he said her name or when she caught him looking at her, she could feel her heartbeat speeding up and a blush spreading across her cheeks like she was a dumb teenage girl with a stupid crush.

And then Piper came.

And the jealousy she felt when she used to watch Mick and Mara together was no comparison to the fiery burning in the pit of her stomach when she watched Alfie and Piper. Because the situation with Alfie and Piper was so much different than the Mick and Mara situation. Sure, she was jealous because Piper was with Alfie and Alfie had been hers first...but at the same time, it hurt because she knew deep down that Alfie deserved someone like Piper. Not someone like her - someone that hadn't even noticed him for years and when they'd finally dated she'd treated him like garbage. Alfie deserved better, and Piper was better, and she couldn't stand it.

But she supposed she had Piper to thank. Because it wasn't until Piper came that she finally admitted herself that she liked Alfie. She really, really liked Alfie, no matter how many times she told herself over and over that they wouldn't be good together and she shouldn't even bother. She liked him, and there was no use telling herself that she didn't.

And then they started dating again and Amber would never admit it but she was _so _happy - happy that Alfie actually still wanted to date her after she treated him - and he made her laugh and she was happy with him and he was happy with her and for a second she thought that just maybe they would overcome all the odds and that they would actually last.

But now she was in fashion school, and he was back at Anubis, and there was an entire ocean between them.

But it got even worse.

Because Amber had told him.

She'd _told him _told him.

She'd told him _the_ words.

The three words.

Those three really big, really important, really serious words.

And, well...

He hadn't told them to her back.

Amber felt another lump rise in her throat and she quickly shook her head, swallowing it back.

She hated herself for feeling like this. She was Amber Millington, expert on relationships and all romantic-related things. She was literally known as "The Love Guru", for crying out loud. She didn't wonder over how boys felt about her - she _knew._

But that was the thing about Alfie. He was easy to read, but when he wanted to be, he was a real mystery. One moment his feelings were plain out in the open for everyone to see, and the next they were hidden. It was almost as if he wanted to leave Amber guessing - almost as if he wanted to be the one mystery that Amber couldn't figure out.

And if that was his goal, then he was doing pretty darn well at succeeding it.

Amber sighed, falling face first into her bed and burying her face into her pillow. Maybe she was overthinking the whole thing. After all, they'd been in front of all of their other friends. Maybe Alfie hadn't felt comfortable saying it while everyone else was watching.

But that didn't make any sense, because _Amber _had said it while everyone else was watching, and she didn't have a problem with it. Sure, she wasn't Alfie, but still! Was it that hard just to whisper the three words back in her ear? It wasn't as if the others would've heard him, and it sure would've made it easier for Amber to sleep at night. But no, Alfie just had to leave her guessing.

Unless...unless he wasn't trying to leave her guessing.

Unless he just didn't feel the same way.

Amber felt tears come to her eyes and hastily blinked them back. God, this was so stupid. Was she even sure she felt that way about Alfie in the first place? Sure, that's what she told him she felt...but did she, really? She'd said she felt that way about Mick, too, but look where that had ended up. And after all, she'd only been dating Alfie for a few weeks. What if it was one of those "it felt right during the situation" things? What if she had been jumping ahead of herself?

The tears came again, and this time she didn't try to stop them. She was so confused. She was Amber Millington, and she _always_ had assurance in herself and her feelings and what she did, but there she was, doubting it all. A few years ago, she never would've imagined that one day she'd be crying over Alfie Lewis of all people, but she was. And all she could think was, _I could sure use one of Trudy's cookies right now._

Which of course, only made her cry more.

So she cried. For the friends she'd left behind. For the home she'd left behind (and no matter what anyone else said, it was her home and she would always, _always_ consider it as her home.) For the mistakes she'd made. And for Alfie Lewis, the boy she'd never been able to figure out and possibly would never get the chance to.

Suddenly, in the midst of her heavy, body-racking sobs, she heard a loud _ding! _come from underneath her bed. Startled, she sat up. _Ding! _Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, she pushed her upper body off of the bed so that it was hanging by the carpet. _Ding! _She stuck her hands beneath the sheets and pulled out her pink MacBook. As she opened it, it let out another _ding!_

_Video Chat request from a-dog0990._

_Well. If that just isn't the biggest coincidence ever, _Amber thought as she stared at the screen, chewing her bottom lip. Her breath had hitched and her heartbeat had started accelerating ten times faster. Her finger hovered over the mouse as her brain went through an internal battle over whether she should accept or not. A million possibilities ran through her head of what he might have to say to her, until she realized she was being downright stupid and that he was (technically) her boyfriend and she needed to hurry up and answer the dang call already.

So, taking a deep breath, wiping her eyes, and running a hand through her long blonde hair, she clicked _accept._

Alfie's face immediately filled up the screen. As soon as he saw her, he smiled slightly - that crooked smile that he always wore. "Hey, Ambs."

"Hey, Alfie," Amber replied softly. And maybe it was the fact that she was seeing him again or just the way he said her name or just him being so _him, _but she could suddenly feel every doubt in her feelings towards him from minutes before slowly evaporate. And suddenly it occurred to her that she wasn't wearing makeup and she was wearing her ugliest pair of sweats ever but just as suddenly she realized she didn't even care.

"How was the trip?" Alfie asked.

"Good," Amber replied, shrugging, and she grinned slightly. "First class, of course."

Alfie grinned, rolling his eyes. "Of course."

"But it's been _such_ an exhausting few days, Alfie." And she told him about what all had happened in the most over the top and dramatic way she could. Because, she was Amber Millington. That was how she rolled. And it felt so good, just to be herself, just to be _Amber_, because although it had only been a few days, it'd felt like a lifetime since she had. She knew that the video call would end at some point and even if she didn't cry again, a part of her would still feel empty inside. But for a second, she pretended like she wouldn't. For a second, she let herself pretend that there wasn't a computer screen between them and that she was with him at Anubis. Or he was with her at fashion school - she wasn't exactly sure what she wanted more. "So, what's been going on at Anubis?" Amber asked finally when she was done.

"Well, we had our first Sibuna meeting last night. And we all went down to the Gatehouse. Me and Patricia distracted Denby while Eddie and KT and Fabian went up into the tank room. Apparently KT had a spaz attack and pushed Fabian into the tank and it nearly crushed Eddie, but guess what?"

"What?"

"Fabian thinks that the man in the tank is most definitely Robert Frobisher-Smythe."

"Really?" Amber raised her eyebrows. "Well, hate to break it to you, but Robert Frobisher-Smythe is gone. As in, 'we are never ever ever getting back together because I'm dead,' gone."

"Well, _obviously,_" Alfie scoffed, rolling his eyes. "But that only leaves one explanation!" He cried.

"And what's that?"

"_Zombies!_" Alfie cried, waving his arms in the air over-dramatically. Amber laughed, rolling her eyes. "I'm serious!" He cried. "I mean, what else could it be? No, but I've literally locked myself in my room practically all day and have spent most of it under my bed."

"What, do you think that the zombies won't check underneath the bed or something?" Amber asked, smirking.

Alfie's eyes widened and he jumped backwards. "Do you _want _to give me an anxiety attack?" He cried, placing his hand over his heart. Amber just laughed again, rolling her eyes. "Oh yeah, and Jeromeo and Mariet broke up," Alfie added once he'd calmed down a bit.

"What?" Amber cried. "Jara broke up?"

"Mmhm."

"That is not okay."

"Yeah. Supposedly Jerome used his history project as a means of apologizing in some sort of extravagant form - he even baked Mara Muffins and everything - but I don't think it worked that well, because they're still broken up, last I heard. And now Jerome has to serve detention with Willow for a week."

"Willow? Why?" Amber asked, her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. Alfie just shrugged in response. "Well, I'm sure Mara will come around. I mean, Jerome and Mara are perfect together. Like, as in, a major-alpha-couple way. Maybe not at the same level as Fabina, or us, but -"

"We were a major-alpha-couple?"

Amber stopped, startled at the tinge of surprise in his voice - and the 'were.' She definitely noticed the 'were.' "Well. Yeah." Quickly, she regained her composure, sitting up straight and flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "I mean, _any _relationship I'm in just automatically earns the status of major-alpha-couple."

"I don't know...I just didn't know _you_ thought of us as a major alpha-couple," Alfie admitted, not really quite looking at her.

"Of course I did," Amber said softly. Alfie just shrugged in response. "Alfie?" He looked up at the screen. "Are we...are we still together?"

And again, the feeling came back. The "kicking-yourself-because-you're-the-biggest-idiot-ever" feeling. Because, again, she was _Amber freaking Millington. She _was the one that was supposed to know exactly where their relationship stood, and _he _was the one that was supposed to ask. Not the other way around.

When Alfie didn't answer her, she continued, "I mean, I know long distance relationships rarely work out. It didn't work out for Mick and Mara-"

"Yeah, but we aren't Mick and Mara," Alfie pointed out, cutting her off.

Amber stopped. "Does that mean you want to try it?" She asked, her heartbeat speeding up slightly.

After a pause, a smile slid onto Alfie's face. "I think Amfie could handle it."

A huge grin appeared on Amber's face as she raised an eyebrow. "I think you mean Alber."

"Oh, come on, Amfie is such a better couple name and you know it!"

"Aw, but Alber was growing on me," Amber whined, giggling.

Alfie laughed, and then stopped, a shy smile on his face, just staring at her. Amber stared back, a small smirk on hers.

"Um, hey Amber?" Alfie asked, cocking his head to the side in the way that he did sometimes when he was asking a question.

"Yeah?"

There was a long stretch of silence - a non-awkward, comfortable silence - where Alfie just stared at her, and Amber stared right back. His warm brown eyes melted with her blue ones, and she could feel the heavy load on Alfie's chest that he was just waiting to release. Alfie took a quiet deep breath, then,

"I love you too."

_The_ three words. Only, they weren't exactly _the _three words. It was three words, plus one, and honestly, they were the best three words plus one that Amber had ever heard in her life.

And as the two of them sat there smiling shyly at each other, Amber just knew. She knew that Amfie could make it. They'd put together a cup that was the key to immortal life, they'd stopped an evil spirit, and they'd helped stop a great evil from being awoken. If they could do all of that, then they could handle a long distance relationship.

They would do the impossible, they would beat all the odds, and they would last.

* * *

_He's not perfect. You aren't either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn't going to quote poetry, he's not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don't hurt him, don't change him, and don't expect more than he can give. Don't analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he's not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don't exist, but there's always one guy that is perfect for you. _- **Bob Marley**

* * *

**A/N:**

Review, please?


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